By Our Reporter
Ugandan entrepreneurs, Sandra Namboozo (26) and Samuel Muyita (27), founders of Karpolax, have developed a plant-based sachet that extends the shelf life of fresh fruit by up to 30 days. Their sustainable, biodegradable preservation solution has earned them a place in top 10 innovators in the Young Inventors Prize 2025, known as Tomorrow Shapers, which recognises young inventors tackling global challenges. They were selected from 450 candidates by an independent jury.
Despite the steady increase in the global population, around 40% of all food produced does not reach the market, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Namboozo and Muyita both grew up in farming families and saw first-hand the challenges of post-harvest losses, which have a devastating impact on the profit of small-scale farmers. Determined to find a natural and more affordable alternative to synthetic preservers, they developed sachets, which release a blend of plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to slow ripening and prevent spoilage. The compounds – extracted from cloves, lemongrass, eucalyptus and wintergreen – inhibit ethylene production, the natural gas responsible for fruit ripening, and offer protection against mould, fungi and bacteria. Their solution allows for the controlled, sustained release of these compounds, tailored to different fruit types, thereby providing a biodegradable alternative to conventional artificial preservers.
Pilot tests conducted with Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization showed that mangoes stored with the sachets remained fresh for 33 days, while those without them lasted only 11 days. The sachets have since been successfully used on bananas, apples, and oranges. With an affordable price point, Karpolax’s sachets are particularly suited to smallholder farmers and local markets, offering a cost-effective and locally accessible way to reduce food waste and increase earnings.
“Farmers are one of our biggest customer groups. We wanted to use our knowledge and technical skills to develop something that would not just end on a paper in a lab but really be used by somebody,” noted Namboozo.
The duo met while studying at Makerere University in Kampala, where they quickly bonded over a shared ambition to reduce food waste. They launched Karpolax in 2020 and aim to expand its reach across Africa, targeting Kenya, Rwanda and beyond. “Starting from zero, you need to source for that funding yourself. We had some supervisors from the university who supported us and made us feel confident that we could succeed,” added Muyita.
By 2023, Karpolax had already worked with over 100 farmers, 20 exporters and 250 market vendors. The company is now expanding its product line to include sachets for pineapples, capsicum and berries.
The Young Inventors Prize celebrates worldwide innovators 30 and under using technology to address global challenges posed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Namboozo and Muyita’s work supports SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by reducing post-harvest losses and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting sustainable food preservation practices.
The prizes of the 2025 edition will be announced during a ceremony slated for 18 June 2025 in Iceland.